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Transcript 

Justin Harlan:
Hi, I'm Justin Harlan, Managing Director of Tulsa Remote, and today we are continuing our series Remote With, and we are with Jaslyn Ferguson. Thank you so much for being with us today.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
I'm so happy that you've had me, and I'm excited to be here. 

Justin Harlan:
I'd love to start just with the big question, like, what brought you to Tulsa? Why are you here? What were you doing before? Talk me through your journey of just arriving to the city.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yeah, so I had lived in Orlando, Florida for like 15 years. I went to college there, had spent some of my growing up years there. After college, I had found myself in a position where I was working for myself. And I thought, what better time to see if there are other opportunities out there that might help me to expand my horizons. And with entrepreneurship, sometimes it can be very isolating and lonely. So as I was in this position where I'm working for myself, I was starting to just kind of feel like I need a change of scenery. I need something new. So it was probably 3 a.m. in the morning. And I started doing Google searches, just looking at different opportunities, different, you know, jobs or programs that, you know, pay you to move somewhere. And so that's how I stumbled across Tulsa Remote. And I was like, this might be the change of scenery that I need.

Justin Harlan:
So you were kind of looking to hit the reset button and just start fresh somewhere. And it also sounds like our search engine optimization dollars are going to good use.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
They're working.

Justin Harlan:
I love to hear that. I love to hear it. So how has it been? What have you loved about Tulsa? And just tell me a little bit about how you've worked to fit into the city here.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
I was really fortunate that at the time that I moved here you guys had just rolled out your program where you could buy a house. And so I bought a house that was kind of really my first way of kind of really signaling even to myself of like, okay, I'm going to be here a while and kind of planting some roots, so to speak. So I bought a house. And then immediately as I got here, I started pouring myself into trying to meet new people, which is definitely an interesting experience when you're in your 30s moving to a new city, trying to make new friends. But thankfully, with the Tulsa Remote program, of course, there were all of these different events and things that helped me to get to know people. I also just took to social media and started seeing who else had had a similar journey or who had moved here and started reaching out to people that way. Cemented myself that way and trying to find a sense of community and meet a lot of people. I really liked it here. There were a lot of surprises, pleasant surprises. When I first moved here, I will say I wasn't sure what I was going to get myself into. I had visited once, of course, but when you hear Tulsa, Oklahoma, you know, especially coming just from the other side of the country, I'm like, what is there? You know, and I'm a person that I'm a bit of a foodie. Sometimes I can be a bit of a picky eater. I was like, are there going to be places there I can eat? So I would say, you know, even checking out all the different restaurants around town and things really helped to kind of cement myself and really made it feel like home.

Justin Harlan:
Yeah.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
And with that, again, I was pleasantly surprised. There were just so many unique and cool places to try out and to eat. And that was probably one of the first ways that I kind of just really started getting myself out there.

Justin Harlan:
Well, where are some of your favorite places to eat in Tulsa?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yeah. So I was definitely a little hesitant when I moved here because I've been on a health journey. And so at many times in my life, I'm gluten free, I'm grain free, I'm dairy free, I'm all these things. And so even as a foodie, I'm like, where am I going to be able to eat that I can actually enjoy myself even when I'm on my more restricted moments? And what's been really cool is that I found so many spots that are super unique and actually accommodate a lot of the needs that I have. So Que Gusto is a spot. They have empanadas that are amazing, but they have gluten-free empanadas. But they're not just gluten-free, they're grain-free and dairy-free. So I was able to have them. And that's a spot that I frequent almost every day. I love that place. But yeah, yeah, they're great. Also, I am a huge fan of and Inheritance Juicery. It's beautiful to look at. They've got smoothies, vegan alternatives, healthy food. I will say it's kind of a cheat day for me, but I am obsessed with the jackfruit quesadillas. I could, if I were on an island and they said, you could only have one thing, that might be the one thing I'd choose.

Justin Harlan:
You might be able to find it on the island, you know, depending on where you are. Why is that a cheat day though?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Only because, again, I said I'm usually like dairy and gluten-free. And so it's got cheese and it's definitely on a tortilla. But it's one of those things where it's really cool because, you know, I'm not vegan, but I do go periods of time where I, you know, will have a lighter diet. And so it's like they have these jackfruit quesadillas. And so... It’s crazy because you would think that it's meat and it's not. And they're so good. I just I'm obsessed with them. So that or I'll pick up a smoothie in the morning, you know, just a great way to start the day. But there's just so many cool places around Tulsa that I just wasn't… as soon as I saw them, they're like, not only are they great to eat out, but like their Instagram worthy. I was like, where am I?

Justin Harlan:
I mean, I've got to ask because for somebody listening to this, they hear you say that, hey, I want to start fresh, hit the reset button. I'm going to go to this new place that you've only visited one time.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yes.

Justin Harlan:
But then you also said that you're like being super intentional about putting down roots and that even causes you to purchase a home. Like, why did that matter to you, especially in the midst of like a huge life change and a major risk of starting new in a new place? Why did it matter to you to put roots down and like cement yourself in that new place that you were going?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Well, it's a little bit twofold. So, you know, on one hand, I understand at this time in life that having a sense of community is everything, you know, in terms of just finding success, just, you know, not only if you're in a new place, but just anywhere, right? Having a sense of community and meeting people. So I knew that even going through this experience, obviously there was the risk that maybe I wouldn't like it here and I'd have to completely backtrack, but I had a feeling that I would. And so I really felt that it was important that for whatever time that I was going to be here, which has actually turned out to be almost three years now, I just, I wanted it to feel like home. I wanted to feel as comfortable as possible. Also, I watch HGTV religiously and owning and renovating a home has always been a dream of mine. So the unique opportunity to do that in this way was just really something that I gravitated towards. The cost of living here was much lower than where I came from, which was Orlando, Florida. And so, you know, I am somebody who I used to always just go through and just look at homes that were for sale just because dreaming of one day. And then it became a reality. It was important to me to use this opportunity to its fullest. So buying a home, renovating that home and doing all those things, even though to some people it's like, how could you even do that when you weren't even sure about the place?

Justin Harlan:
Right.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
These were goals that I had and this was an opportunity to realize those goals. So, you know, I took a bit of a risk, but I mean, it's paid off. I'm still here.

Justin Harlan:
Yeah, and I mean, you have such a great balance of like, an adventure, but also committing to the adventure for a bit, you know, and I think that's something that Tulsa Remote provides where you can take a risk, but also it's not as risky as it could be. You're entering into a network, you know, we're providing support and resources of where to find the good places and all of that. And I think there's something special about that in you and so many people that join the program of like, I'm ready for something new. And this gives me a nice way to do it. And that's really cool. So I know that you're an entrepreneur at heart and you came working for yourself and talk to me a little bit about just like how you've tapped into the entrepreneurial resources that are available here in Tulsa.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
My entrepreneurial spirit is really what brought me here. As I was up at 3 a.m. looking at programs and places that would pay me to move or a means of having that change of scenery and I came across Tulsa Remote, I started looking at, ok, well, what is you know, what's happened in Tulsa, Oklahoma?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
What's the history there? What's the vibe like? All these things. And so I started doing research. And that's when I, you know, really I'd heard about the history of Black Wall Street, but that's when it really clicked. I'm like, OK, you know, Black Wall Street used to be here. You know, what an opportunity for me to be an entrepreneur in a city where that rich history exists. And then I started seeing how there were all of these different accelerator programs and all of these different organizations that are really put in place here unlike anywhere I've ever seen that are really helping entrepreneurs and so I saw a glimpse of that before I came here and that really helped me to submit like okay I think Tulsa's the place but once I got here that's what really blew me out of the water. I've done, you know, pitch competition. I've done incubator program.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
There's just so many resources here and also so many other entrepreneurs and founders and people that I get to meet and have those kind of connections with. It's changed the way that my journey has been in having my own businesses. Before I moved here, again living in other cities, it's just a completely different atmosphere. And there are there are maybe resources but the way that it is here in Tulsa where everybody kind of comes together and there truly is this ecosystem system of people helping has been something that has been very important and very special to me and my journey. That was part of what got me here. And as I've been here, that's been something that's really, you know, motivated me. Part of the reason why I definitely knew I had to stay here is because there's just such an outpour of so many resources and people that are like, hey, how can I help you get where you want to be? And as an entrepreneur, that's gold.

Justin Harlan:
Yeah, for sure. I mean, having that type of access to people that are willing to help and resources that are supporting your ideas. And I love that you pulled out that... You know, it's done in a collaborative way that feels kind of synchronized as opposed to all these different silos of entrepreneurialism.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yeah.

Justin Harlan:
Do you remember when this started? Like, when did when did you become an entrepreneur at heart? Like, were you selling lemonade on the end of the driveway? Or, yeah, when did this come to life for you?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yeah, I mean, I always wanted to do it a lemonade stand didn't do that. But when I was probably in middle school, my brother, who's about a year and a half older than me, so we're very close. We both started a little business where we were going around and asking local businesses if we could design their websites. We were very talented. I don't think we hooked any clients at the time. But the mindset and the thought process there, it's so funny to look back because, you know, we were putting together little proposals and we were putting up little mock websites of what it could look like. I've just always been a creative person. And so for me, I'm a creative person. And, you know, I want to create. I want to create. And I also am a person that likes to look at strategy and big picture. And so the natural way that those things kind of come together is to create my own things. And to, you know, kind of guide that strategy and to take ideas and to put them into motion. So I definitely would like to say it's been a long time.

Justin Harlan:
So were you coding in middle school?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
To a certain extent. So my mom has always worked in marketing and I always praise her for kind of introducing us to a lot of ideas in early age. We weren't necessarily coding a lot of the websites. We did dabble in HTML back then. But at the time, you could go into Microsoft Word and you could design things and then you could publish it as a website from there. Obviously, we've come a long way as a society. But yeah, that's how it kind of started. And then, of course, as we got older, again, my mom is my hero when it comes to these things because she worked in marketing and she was able to bring us home some like Adobe software from time to time. And I remember we taught ourselves to learn how to do things in Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and Illustrator and all these things. And so, yeah, from a very young age, I was very fortunate enough to have that exposure and to be able to make that progression and to see very quickly how, even though, you know, in middle school when we first went on our venture to start a business, we didn't really hook any clients. They were probably like, who are these kids? We can get a real professional. But, you know, from there, you know, that was the start of things. And, you know, when I first came here with Tulsa Remote, the job, what I was doing was I had my own digital marketing and social media agency where that's exactly what I was doing. I was designing people's websites. I was managing their social media, doing their graphic design. So it all started very early on.

Justin Harlan:
Yeah. I mean, when I was in middle school, we were like trying to keep people alive on the Oregon Trail, you know, and not losing limbs along the way. You're a lot more productive with your computer work. Well, that's really cool. And I mean, it sounds like you have a mom that was very aware of your own skills and passions and values and, you know, equipped you with resources to support that, which is a lot of what you just described here in Tulsa, too. I mean, it's so cool to... Just see that you've gotten that type of support and love throughout your life. So for folks that are thinking about Tulsa, what advice would you give them? Like you mentioned you've been surprised. I know there's plenty of people out there that, you know, don't even think twice about what the city has to offer and kind of puts it off. Yeah. What would you tell them just from your three years here? What would you tell somebody that's sitting there watching this and considering a move?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Yeah, I like to tell people to kind of challenge their idea of home, right? So many people get comfortable in a spot. That's where everyone is. It's around them. They're just in this mindset of this is home. This is where all my people are. This is where I'm going to lay down my roots and, you know, start my life. What's been really, really eye opening, but just really exciting about this move is that it really showed me that, you know, you can you can make a home wherever you want to. And really, it's been such a fun experience for me to experience Tulsa, not only myself, but then to bring my friends, my family and for them to experience it as well. I would tell people who are thinking about doing it to do it. I mean, truly, it's it's truly one of the best, if not the best, decision that I've ever made. It's propelled so many things in my life. It's brought about just so many new adventures, so many things that pushed me out of my comfort zone, but have helped me to grow in so many ways that I think you can only do when you take kind of a leap of faith like that. With Tulsa, I'm just happy to say that it paid off, right? Because there are so many resources, because there are so many organizations and people in place that want to help entrepreneurs, want to help people who have big ideas. And it's really fun to be here at this time of growth. It's almost like there's an explosion of growth and everybody's a part of it. And we're all working together to see what Tulsa can be. And so if you love a good underdog story, I would say, you know, definitely do it. Come join us, be a part of this and let's see what we can do here.

Justin Harlan:
I love it. And what do you think it is about the way that you've entered into the city yourself? Because I think you can move to a city and that's one thing. It also takes, I think, effort and work. And as you, you know, move to a place and kind of reflect on what you've done that has kind of made the experience beneficial for you, what advice would you give to folks that they could utilize as they enter into a new place of like the effort that they're going to have to put in to get the most out of the place?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Gotcha. Yeah. I mean, as I've said, Tulsa Remote was very instrumental in that. And I moved here when things were still weird from the pandemic. And yet still having that support system, having that group, having people that I could connect with and have that sense of community, that was huge. So I would say definitely you have to be intentional about building up a community around you. I would say, you know, also just being intentional about finding the things that, you know, bring you... Kind of a sense of comfort or that speak to who you are. So for me, like I said, I'm a foodie. I love, you know, eating different places and exploring that. So that's one of the things that before I even came here, I had a list. You know, what am I going to see? Because I knew that that would help me to experience the city in a really authentic way that I could really dive in. And then I would also say, take chances. One of the things that's really great about moving to a new place is that nobody knows you yet. And so some of those apprehensions that you might have in a a place where you do know a bunch of people or people that are familiar with you. You might have apprehension about, should I try this? Should I try that? When I moved here to Tulsa, all of that disappeared because it's like a blank slate and it's this exciting opportunity just to try new things. And so I would say to lean into that and to just do things that you wouldn't do or wouldn't have necessarily done. And that will help you to also just cement yourself in a new place.

Justin Harlan:
Yeah. And you mentioned when you first were thinking about Tulsa, that connection and research that you did around Greenwood and Black Wall Street. What does that mean to you today? Like, you know, I know that it had an impact on you getting here. But now as you kind of think about your own entrepreneurial efforts and the work that you're doing in your full time work, what does the legacy of Greenwood like mean to you? And what impact does that have on you each day that you wake up here?

Jaslyn Ferguson:
As a Black female founder, the reality of life, right, is there's so many obstacles there. There's so many challenges there. There's so many barriers, right? And so to be in a place like this that recognizes that, to be in a space where I'm among other people who recognize that and organizations that are working to kind of, you know, restore that balance, it means everything. It means everything to feel heard in those ways. It means everything to be in an environment where I don't feel like, you know, I'm the only one having these thoughts or these conversations, right? These are conversations that many of us have all the time, especially within the ecosystem and the spaces that I'm in. So for me, it's motivating. It's encouraging. It gives me that much more of that push to know that, you know, I can make it and I want to make it, right? If not for the legacy of Greenwood and Black Wall Street, it just means that much more to know that as we look at what happened there and what was lost and how we restore that, right, how we come back from that as humans, right, to be a part of that and to say, I'm going to set my roots here. I'm going to start my businesses here and I'm going to help to rewrite the story of what's happening here in Tulsa. That's just that's like the motivation you need to get up in the morning. You know, like that's it feeds my soul in a way that, you know, helps me to to keep my eye on the prize, so to speak, and to get to my goals because it's bigger than me. It's it's about, you know, what we're doing here. It's about, you know, collectively what this can become.

Justin Harlan:
You are such a beautiful depiction of somebody who took a risk, leveraged resources and community to make the most of an opportunity and did it in a way that you deeply held your values close and continue to hold them close in a way that is very purpose driven. And I look up to you a lot for that. And I'm glad that you're part of the Tulsa remote community and appreciate all the time that you've given us today.

Jaslyn Ferguson:
Thanks. I'm just so happy to be a part of the Tulsa remote community. And I'm so glad that you had me.